


Something more than a catalog of non-definitive acts

by SwirlsOfBlueJay



Category: Brooklyn Nine-Nine (TV)
Genre: Angst, B99 Summer 2019 Fic Exchange, F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-03
Updated: 2019-08-03
Packaged: 2020-07-30 08:37:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20094427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SwirlsOfBlueJay/pseuds/SwirlsOfBlueJay
Summary: Jake and Amy go undercover as a couple. Written for the Brooklyn 99 Summer 2019 fic exchange for professionalpenthief (writer0895). Thank you for the prompt! Hope you enjoy. And thank you to my beta reader storyinmyeyes.





	Something more than a catalog of non-definitive acts

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ProfessionalPenThief](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ProfessionalPenThief/gifts).

“There’s going to be an undercover operation infiltrating a smuggling ring,” Holt says. 

“Ooh, me! Mine! I want the case!” Jake says. 

Amy looks at Holt eagerly, “I majored in Art history, they’re stealing antiquities, and I have expertise that will be vital to this case.” 

“Well I have experience being under cover in crime families!” Jake argues. 

“As I was saying, we need two detectives posing as a couple, the two of you will be sufficient.” 

“Yes!” Amy exclaims as Jake fist pumps. 

And Holt swiftly moves on to the next order of business, only later pausing momentarily as he steps out the door to say,

“Peralta, Santiago, I’ll brief you in my office.” 

*

The two of them have only just sat down opposite Holt before Jake begins animatedly creating their cover stories,

“Okay, I’m Dirk Striker, I’ve been driving trucks of every black market good you can imagine since I could see above the steering wheel, I once successfully drove over an opening bridge (jumping over twenty feet of open air) to make a clean getaway and Amy is Leah Cortez a master lock picker who steals to pay for her addiction to cosmopolitans.” 

“In actuality this assignment requires a certain specific dynamic…” 

“Oh no, that’s the raised eye-brow of ‘I have to say something I’m not happy with,’” Amy says. 

“These smugglers are very much a men’s club, previous undercover operatives have failed due to refusing to take part in their games involving predatory behaviour or had their covers blown by prostitutes they were expected to sleep with. We think the solution to this will be two detectives posing as a couple, but the idea of having to work with a woman will also turn them off.” 

Jake’s mouth falls open. “Oh.” 

Amy says, “So I’m supposed to be the mindless arm candy?”

Jake winces. 

“Yes,” Holt says, “It’s not ideal, but it will put you in a position where they will dismiss you as a threat and won’t pay attention to your movements. It will allow you to gather evidence in a quick and effective manner.” 

Amy nods. “Okay.” 

“There’s more. These men are very boisterous with women; to fit in the two of you will be required to be very physically close. Of course, we wouldn’t expect either of you to do anything you’re uncomfortable with.” 

“It will be fine,” Amy says, before turning to Jake, who once confessed having feelings for her, “Unless, will that put you in an awkward place?” 

“You’re an awkward place,” Jake responds, “No discomfort here, none whatsoever.” 

*

Jake is Matt, a fence, and Amy is his girlfriend Lana. They’re meeting in a cordoned-off section of a club. They’re sitting next to each other, their legs touching. He tries not to think about how nice it feels. He puts his arm around her, carefully, “Is this okay?” 

Amy smiles. “Of course, let’s do this!” 

*

Amy’s undecided on exactly how dumb she’s going to act. She’s of course got several personas prepared, of differing intellect level, but she also knows the importance of playing it by ear and is waiting to see. Within ten minutes she realises, it doesn’t matter how dumb she acts. They won’t catch on. It’s all perfectly believable to them. 

She affects a semi-blank expression, and makes a point to giggle randomly and throw out random comments, that heavily imply she’s completely misunderstanding the covert conversation taking place. Jake’s voice is a low murmur, she pays some attention to it, but she’s confident Jake knows what needs doing, and thus she’s more focused on their surroundings, on picking up any clues. Some of the girlfriends hang out in a corner and she thinks she’ll have a better chance of slipping away if she’s over there. She won’t suggest it herself though; she’ll get Jake to send her over there during the next meeting. 

She can see Jake holding back from clenching his jaw against the sexist comments at times, but only because she knows him so well. But from the others body language, she can tell that he’s not committing to the act as well as he needs to. 

She tells him so on the way to their room (after ensuring no one is around of course). 

“I’ve watched the footage. Have you seen the way these guys treat their girl-friends. You have to be ruder and more grabby.”

“I don’t want to though.” 

“Matt thinks Lana’s a thing, his possession.” 

“Matt is gross.” 

“True. But Matt is going to bring down this smuggling ring.” 

*

Jake freezes as he enters the room. “There’s only one bed.” 

“That’s because I asked for a room with only one bed,” Amy states, “We need to maintain our covers, and these guys are careful, we don’t want anything to tip them off.”

“Cool, cool, cool, cool. We can just sleep in shifts, a few hours at a time.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, come on,” Amy says, gesturing at the bed. 

Jake clutches his hand to his chest faux dramatically. “Are you trying to take advantage of me?” 

“Definitely, now get in.” 

*

As much as it makes him feel sick, Jake knows Amy’s right about his behaviour around the smugglers. Matt makes a point the next day to be more possessive and verbally abusive towards Lana. He hates himself for enjoying the feel of Amy under his hands, against his body. What if she finds out, she’ll think he’s disgusting, just like Matt. 

Correction: he is disgusting. Amy’s just doing her job, she trusts him, and he feels like he’s betraying her. 

*

He stands in the shower that night, scrubbing roughly, thoughts spiralling, he feels unclean. He hates having to treat Amy that way. And he hates that having her pressed against him makes him feel warm and happy and like he’s found  _ home _ . It’s wrong. It’s all so wrong. It’s  _ painful _ .

*

Amy can’t help but feel a little guilty, sure she was pushing Jake to be extra touchy to make their cover more believable and productive, and it’s genuinely needed to get the job done, but she’d be lying if she said it wasn’t also part of her wanting him touching her. 

It’s wrong, she knows. But she wonders, if maybe, there’s something still there, something that could still happen between them. But now, Jake’s been in the shower for twice as long as usual, and she knows he’s freaking out, and she’s certain this was the wrong way to go about it. (Even if she had only been thinking about the case when she agreed to this). 

*

Jake put on a wide smile before stepping out of the bathroom. But Amy, because she’s Amy, still says, “We should talk about what’s wrong.” 

Jake sighs, running a hand through his hair. “I can’t…I don’t think I can do this anymore.” 

Amy gestures for him to sit. “Tell me.” 

And he wants to, he really, really, wants to. But making this whole thing about him feels unbelievably selfish. Sure, he feels sick and dirty, and like he’s coming undone. But at least he doesn’t have to actually go through it like Amy does. It must be worse for her. He shouldn’t make this about him. 

“No, it’s okay, I probably just need to spend a few hours watching property brothers repeats and then I’ll be fine.” 

“Jake, Holt said  _ we _ shouldn’t do anything we’re uncomfortable with: you know he didn’t just mean me right? If we need to we can find another way to catch these guys.” 

“It’s not that I’m uncomfortable. It’s just that…” Jake covers his face with his hand so he can’t see her reaction, “I really like how it feels when we’re touching.” 

Amy says nothing, waiting for him to continue. 

Jake stares at her, “Aren’t you mad?” 

“Why would I be mad? You’re doing your job. You can’t help how you feel. I’m actually glad. I like how it feels when we’re touching too.” 

Jake’s gaze is awe-filled, “You do?” 

“Yes. Now tell the truth: do we need to find another way to catch these guys?” 

Jake chuckles. “No, I’m good.” 

*

The same as the night before, they lay on opposite sides of the bed, this time the strip between them feels like a chasm. Amy reaches out, fingers too bold, before she draws them back. 

“Jake, would you like me to hold you?” 

“What?!” 

“You like being the little spoon right?” 

Jake shrugs. “It makes me feel safe.” 

Amy nods. “And secure and I know you said you’re good with all this, but I know the whole Matt act is hard on you. And sometimes touch can be grounding when you’re feeling outside of yourself.” 

She knows Jake wants to say yes, it’s written all over his face. She also knows he’s going to say no. 

“I’m fine. I don’t need you to…” 

“I would like it too. We both just admitted we liked touching each other, so what’s the harm in a couple of friends taking some platonic comfort in each other.” They’re the opposite of the words she wants to say, but she knows now isn’t the time to push for more, being undercover like this makes it too complicated. 

“Okay.” 

*

The feel of being held in Amy’s arms is amazing, the best thing ever; even better because it isn’t part of an act. It’s a choice, both of their choices. 

*

Amy gets closer to the band of girlfriends, gaining vital pieces of info, fitting them together with what Jake has gathered begins to give them a solid frame of the network. They spend their nights platonically cuddling. And Amy wonders how things ended up like this, whether she missed her moment, whether she should just slide her hand lower. 

She mentally lists the reasons she shouldn’t: 1) at this point that almost feels like it would be a betrayal. 2) Jake needs a friend now more than he needs a fledgling relationship. 3) It would hurt Jake even more to pull off the act if they were actually together. 4) Starting a relationship whilst undercover pretending to be in a highly unhealthy relationship is a terrible idea. 5) Despite, or perhaps because of, their conversation about liking the touching, and then the actual touching Amy’s beginning to doubt whether Jake still even wants a relationship. He hasn’t made a single move, despite them spending their nights curled up together- which was her move she would like to point out. 

*

The gathering of evidence of the various members of the network is a slow trudge, until it isn’t. 

(They pin down the head using a stray pharmaceutical receipt of all things). 

They celebrate the case hard-won.

And go back to their separate lives, without nights spent together, and it feels like they’ve lost something they never had. 

Now is the time, Amy thinks. But it feels like the spell has been broken. They’re back in the real world now. The days slip by grey-tinted. 

They are stilted, coming back to themselves. 

*

It’s been a month since the smuggling case ended. It all seems like a dream now, some distant surreal memory. Their moment has well and truly passed. They are friends, and it’s good. 

And then Jake asks, “Can I have a cuddle?” 

And she wordlessly takes him into her arms, and for once ignores her lists and rules and endless cautionary self-chastisements, and kisses him. 

*

Jake wakes to early morning light streaming through the window and pulls Amy’s arm around so she’s holding him. And it’s more amazing than ever, because she shuffles closer, hand against his chest, and her lips press kisses to his shoulder.

He is home. 

  
  



End file.
